Deviated Septum

A deviated septum can lead to nasal blockage, recurrent nose bleeds, and recurrent sinus infections. Scabs and boogers may accumulate in the nose, just below the curvature of the septum. With a deviated septum, there may be difficulty exercising due to difficulty breathing through the nose and need to breathe through the mouth. Exercise tolerance is reduced if you can’t breathe through the nose. A deviated septum may also cause difficulty sleeping, snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring may occur due to the nasal obstruction or nocturnal mouth breathing and may cause you to wake frequently during the night, get a dry mouth on awakening and lead to daytime sleepiness.

Nose bleeds are caused by a deviated septum because there is too much airflow on one side of the nose and the airflow becomes turbulent. As a result, one part of the nose dries out too much, leading to dry mucous and boogers. When the dry mucous and boogers come off, the lining of the nose and blood vessels are torn, causing the bleeding.

Recurrent sinus infections are also caused by the turbulent airflow. This leads to excess drying of the sinus drainage areas and more dust, and bacterial deposition into the sinus drainage pathways.

Turbinate Enlargement (Hypertrophy)

Turbinate enlargement leads to nasal blockage and may predispose to recurrent sinus infections. With turbinate enlargement, there may be difficulty exercising due to difficulty breathing through the nose and need to breathe through the mouth. Exercise tolerance is reduced if you can’t breathe through the nose. Turbinate enlargement may also lead to difficulty sleeping, snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring may occur due to the nasal obstruction or nocturnal mouth breathing and may cause you to wake frequently during the night, get a dry mouth on awakening and lead to daytime sleepiness.

Recurrent sinus infections may also be caused by turbinate enlargement. Enlargement of the middle turbinates will obstruct drainage from the maxillary, ethmoid and frontal sinuses. Enlargement of the upper turbinate will obstruct drainage from the sphenoid sinus and back ethmoid sinuses. Enlargement of the lower turbinates may contribute to sinus infections by leading to excess drying of the sinus drainage areas and more dust, and bacterial deposition into the sinus drainage pathways.

Nasal Valve Collapse or Stenosis

Nasal valve collapse can lead to nasal blockage. With valve collapse or stenosis, there may be difficulty exercising due to difficulty breathing through the nose and a need to breathe through the mouth. Exercise tolerance is reduced if you can’t breathe through the nose. Nasal valve collapse and stenosis frequently causes difficulty sleeping, snoring and may contribute to sleep apnea. Snoring may occur due to the nasal obstruction or nocturnal mouth breathing and may cause you to wake frequently during the night, get a dry mouth on awakening and lead to daytime sleepiness.

Nasal Polyps

Polyps lead to nasal blockage and will predispose to recurrent or chronic sinus infections. With nasal polyps, there may be difficulty exercising due to difficulty breathing through the nose and a need to breathe through the mouth. Exercise tolerance is reduced if you can’t breathe through the nose. Nasal polyps, when larger will also lead to difficulty sleeping, snoring and may cause sleep apnea. Snoring may occur due to the nasal obstruction or nocturnal mouth breathing and may cause you to wake frequently during the night, get a dry mouth on awakening and lead to daytime sleepiness.

Recurrent or chronic sinus infections will also be caused by nasal polyps. The polyps obstruct the sinus drainage pathways and cause mucous to stagnate within the sinuses. Polyps under the middle turbinate will obstruct drainage from the maxillary, ethmoid and frontal sinuses. Polyps near the upper turbinate will obstruct drainage from the sphenoid sinus and back ethmoid sinuses. Most people with polyps will have a low grade sinus infection constantly.

Nasal Deformities

An external or internal nasal deformity can lead to nasal blockage. With a deformity of the nasal bones or deviated septum, there may be difficulty exercising due to difficulty breathing through the nose and need to breathe through the mouth. Exercise tolerance is reduced if you can’t breathe through the nose. A nasal deformity may also cause difficulty sleeping, snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring may occur due to the nasal obstruction or nocturnal mouth breathing and may cause you to wake frequently during the night, get a dry mouth on awakening and lead to daytime sleepiness. In addition, the nasal deformity doesn’t look good.

Nasal Fractures

Nasal fractures are typically repaired if they have already caused an external or internal deformity of the nose or if we anticipate leading to future difficulty breathing, nose bleeds or sinus infections. Non displaced fractures, that cause no deformity, do not need to be repaired immediately. Nonetheless, a non-displaced fracture may still cause a future deformity during the healing process due to deposition of calcium deposits at the fracture site. This could lead to a bump on the nose that develops several months after the injury.

If a nasal fracture is not repaired, it will usually heal on its own, but it will heal crooked. A fracture will typically heal in about 7-10 days in a child and 10-14 days in an adult.

Nose bleeds (Epistaxis)

Nose bleeds are not only bothersome but may lead to anemia if there is recurrent bleeding. Nose bleeds can even be life threatening if enough blood is lost in a short period of time.